TRENTON, N.J. – Kyrie Irving stole the outlet pass, hung in the air and drained the off-balance 18-foot jumper as the horn sounded to end the third quarter.

The St. Patrick senior guard broadly smiled as he was met by his jubilant teammates. After several days of anxiety, the Celtics enjoyed two hours of brevity – throttling New York City powerhouse Rice, 72-54, in the Primetime Shootout at the Sun National Bank Center.

The Elizabeth, N.J., Catholic school was banned from the New Jersey state boys basketball tournament and its coach, Kevin Boyle, was suspended three games by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association for holding out-of-season workouts.

“I had to get out of my funk,” said Irving, who had 22 points, five assists and four steals. “These are my friends, these are like my brothers, I wanted to come out here and put on a show.”

Ranked fifth in the country by USA Today and winners of three of the last four New Jersey Tournament of Champions crowns, St. Patrick (18-3) thoroughly enjoyed the victory over Rice, racing out to a quick 11-2 lead and never looking back.

Irving, headed for Duke in the fall, and junior forward Michael Gilchrist (18 points) put on a dazzling display of high-wire slam dunks and acrobatic layups. Irving’s left-handed slam gave the Celtics a jaw-dropping 63-33 lead with 6:45 left in the fourth quarter over the Raiders, No. 2 in The Post’s NYC boys basketball rankings.

Jermaine Sanders led Rice (17-5) with 18 points and Kadeem Jack was held to eight.

“This was a statement game,” said Irving, a McDonald’s All-American.

Boyle questioned the NJSIAA’s decision based on recent rulings. The last five New Jersey teams to be caught hosting open gyms were allowed to participate in the New Jersey Tournament of Champions, going back to 1994.

The ruling surprised those in New York City boys basketball circles, too.

“It sounds like a pretty harsh penalty,” Thomas Jefferson coach Lawrence Pollard said. “But I think there’s more to it. It probably snowballed from a lot of others things they got away with.”

St. Patrick was reportedly investigated for possible recruiting violations. During the state’s investigation into St. Patrick, Patrick J. Reilly, Jr., a retired New Jersey State police captain, videotaped six out-of-season workouts.

“It comes with winning,” said Lincoln coach Dwayne Morton, whose Railsplitters have won the last four PSAL city championships. “I feel for that guy. I go through the same [stuff]. All he’s trying to do is help his kids. I know a coach can handle anything, but the kids shouldn’t be penalized.”

The workouts – to gain access for Boyle’s players to be seen by college coaches – were held in October, well before coaches are allowed to be present for organized practices. The official start to the season was Nov. 27, as decided by the state. New York City has similar rules, but different dates to the start of the PSAL and CHSAA seasons.

Jefferson point guard Davontay Grace questioned the root of the penalty. “Should there even be rules when you can practice?” he questioned.

Morton said he wouldn’t be surprised if something similar occurred in New York City. Many coaches are present for preseason tournaments, open gyms attended by college coaches or scrimmages.

“It can happen to anybody,” he said. “All of us start working out, what we call practice, early.”